I'm thinking about selling up and travelling the world taking my wife and 2 daughters 10 and 11 years old (the little red barons) with me.I plan to teach them what I can myself and using books and advice from the education authority school them the best I can.They are both in the top 5% in their yeargroups ,both very good at all sports and are very popular with almost all other children at school.They make friends very easily and are quite bright for their ages(make me very proud)

It' something that excites me but I have the fear of what if it all goes wrong.If it went right it could the adventure of a lifetime for all of us and thats why I think the risks are worth taking.

I suck at poker ergo I suck at risk taking gambles.

Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated

 

PS. any must see places or events at certain times of the year would also help push me in the right direction

Wow.

 

I understand how you feel.

 

My kids are home schooled. Well two out of three are. Many advantages to that. you can get curiculums online to help you stay on track with their studies.

 

As far as the going abroad.

 

I have seen 48 out of the 50 states here in the USA. Alaska and Hawaii not.

 

We have a huge country that is very diverse. However I have told myself that I will not see the world till I know myself. This means till I get to Alaska and Hawaii the world will have to wait.

 

There are sooo many must see's in the world. You just need to decide what they are. Seeing Natural or Manmade or seeing both. I like natural majesty/beauty myself except for maybe things like the Great Wall (Truely grand undertakings that are almost like natural things).

 

Invlove your children in the decision and let them plan parts of the trip, what to see, and stuff like that. It will be rewarding for you and them knowing that they took part in the planning of a trip of a lifetime. Plus it will give them more to look forward to.

 

Things I would not to miss.

 

New Zealand and Australia

 

Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, and Las Vegas.

 

Disney World / Epcot in Florida

 

Rome and Parts of Italy

 

Swiss Alps

 

Africa and maybe the Pyramids

 

There is sooo much. Then add the events that you would like to time the trip by.

 

Whew a lot to think about.

It sounds like a lot of fun, but one must consider the thoughts of the rest of the family. Moving from place to place may not be what the rest of the family wants. I've moved several times, and I didn't like the idea of moving again. I wanted to keep the friends I had and build on those friendships. I wanted to grow up alongside the friends I made. Just make sure this is what your family truly wants to commit to.

 

Now places...(that readily come to mind)

 

Southern Germany (My favorite place)

Italy - Rome, Venice, Florence, (The Vatican), beaches of Tuscany

France - Paris, Normandy

Spain - Madrid, Barcelona, Pamplona (running of the bulls, July I think), Sevilla, Southern Spain and the beaches

Netherlands, Belguim

UK - London, Scotland

 

Forget the Middle East

 

Africa, the Pyramids of Giza, Aswan

 

Too much to say. I can't wait until I'm old enough to where I will travel.

Southern Germany (My favorite place)

 

Italy - Rome, Venice, Florence, (The Vatican), beaches of Tuscany

 

France - Paris, Normandy

Been there, done that

 

if you realy want to go out and see the world, I'd suggest perhaps moving somewhere in Eurpoe. you can easily take trips to a ton of places around there, and then during the summer head out to other countries.

 

I used to live in germany, so i'd know >.>

Denali National Park in the heart of Alaska you'll find some of the most beautiful scenery around. Its larger than some states in the US, and of course its home to Mount McKinley. I loved hiking there and they do have all the amenities at hand if your not into roughing it . You could also visit my mom's hometown while in Alaska its Kotzebue 25 miles north of the Arctic circle and 50 miles from Russia they usually have a big festival around the July 4th so thats usually the best time to go there. AND NO ITS NOT FORTY BELOW AND BLOWING SNOW IN THE SUMMER ITS IN THE 70's

That is a huge decision. I have thought many times of selling everything and just going somewhere else too. Now with family to think about I don't think I will. Egypt is one place I just have to go someday. It's p[robably hard to think of retirement now but what will you do when you get old and have no money. I don't know what employment you have or how financially sound you are but when you get old and can't work then where do you live etc? I'm sure you thought of all of that and the good probably outweighs the bad for you in this respect. Huge gamble though. Home schooling I know nothing about but I do know that I made many lasting friendships at school and still see these people from grade school up to college. There are many good points to both lifestyles ( being stable and in one place or being a traveller).

Fpr me living in one place my whole life has brought me a best friend that I have had for 35 years and that is invaluable. I have been to Germany, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota many states all of Western Canada etc. I have done a little of both you might say. Good luck with your decision.

Places to avoid:

 

Poland.

 

 

And i have "friends-without-necks-that-like-baseball-bats-and-just-love-tourists", that can prove it.

Besides if you are:

- jewish, mouslim, protestant, orthodox - you will get slaughterd by "Uberpolish Youths" - our local catholic nazis;

- american - you will not survive contradiction with anti-war sentimentalists;

- catholic - we have anti-church simpathist just waiting;

- and so on, and so on...

Conclusion: anybody really can get a bat to the head just for being.

Places to avoid:

 

Poland.

 

And i have "friends-without-necks-that-like-baseball-bats-and-just-love-tourists", that can prove it.

 

Besides if you are:

 

- jewish, mouslim, protestant, orthodox - you will get slaughterd by "Uberpolish Youths" - our local catholic nazis;

 

- american - you will not survive contradiction with anti-war sentimentalists;

 

- catholic - we have anti-church simpathist just waiting;

 

- and so on, and so on...

 

Conclusion: anybody really can get a bat to the head just for being.

Sounds like a lovly country *lol*

 

I think i've been to poland before.... probaly at least drove through it once or twice.

 

Let me add that i have moved aound alot as well. Considering my dad is in the army, we move every 2 years or so. So in a sense it is hard, but after a while it gets easy to make new freinds, plus, Jairyn can vouch for this (i hope ) But i do keep in track with old freinds =P. It can be tough at times, yes, but it al realy depends.

 

But a lifestyle where your going to move around alot would be interesting. if you home schooled your kids, it also could truly be a great experience for them, a life on the road more or less. Than again, it could be very bad. I don't exactly know your kids, so i can't judge if they like to travel or not.

 

What i'd do, is just talk to the family about it a lot. Maybe plan out a "road map" on places you'd like to see, how long you'd like to be there, ect. ect. You could easily do more traveling durring holidays and then just stay in a house for a year or two at a time.

 

For example what i do, move around every 2 years. Now sure, considering you want to see the world maybe every year or so, and just move to a place that has alot to visit.

 

Like, move to Britan perhaps so you can see all the sites around there. You could move around like that and it could be a nice lifestyle.

 

Me my self has always thought just being kind of a wanderer, exploring around different local's, either by your self or with a loved one(s), could be alot of fun. And when your kids finaly head to college, and their peers ask "so where did you used to live" they could go "well first...."

I think i've been to poland before.... probaly at least drove through it once or twice.

"Drove"? You mean You had Your car when leaving our borders? Strange. Its a common rule here, that people ride in and walk out.

so if you brought your car with you how would you get it out of Poland? :?

If you ever go to Italy Mac, give me a call, I would love to go back again

 

When my father was stationed in hawaii for 3 years, it was like being on a semi-

 

permanent vacation. Your kids will love you forever if you take them there. Places

 

to visit there:

 

Hanauma bay

Kolekole pass

Kilaouea Caldera

Volcano National Park

Mauna Loa

Waikeke Beach

Diamond Head

And dont forget to learn about the Hawaiian culture, its awesome

Reserve a month+ for:

 

England/Scotland/Wales

Australia/New Zealand

 

Reserve 2 months+ for:

 

Spain/France/Belgium/Germany

 

Reserve another 2 months for:

 

Greece/Italy/Austria

 

Reserve a month for:

 

The Caribbean / Spanish Main

 

I'm leaving South America/Asia/Africa out of this because I've never been to any of those continents etc.

Looks like we're going.Clearing out the house and putting it up for sale.Hopefully get to see a little of France before spending the winter in Spain.Travel along the mediteranian coast next year and down into Italy for next winter.

Thats as far as the planning for travel has got so far but there's no rush.

Should have enough money to keep us going for about 4 years but we intend to get part time jobs so we can spend as long as we need to out there.If we find somewhere really nice we are going to settle or spend more time in that area.

I'd love to get up to the top of Finland to see the Northern Lights aside from that the wife and kids are planning everything else.

 

I'll keep you informed.

Wow. Cool. Sounds Great. Don't forget to involve the kids.

Well.....if by any chance (very doubtable because of the current condition) go to Lebanon, be sure to take lots of pictures and send me some

 

Im 1/2 Lebanese and really want to go there one day, cuz my grandmother goes there a good bit (every few years)

 

anyways.....good luck. Im sure that you will have a great time. I hope so anyways.

so if you brought your car with you how would you get it out of Poland? :?

You wouldnt. Your car would quickly 'change' the owner and be shipped through eastern border whole, as a junk or generally as spare parts.

Do you guys like Canadians?

There are alot of nice castles to see in Germany if you have an interest in those things. That is one thing I can say that was nice about living in places like Ramstein and Lahr as a kid... alot of the best dark ages culture can be found in Germany. At least that is my opinion having visited alot of medieval sites in western Europe every summer vacation and on school field trips. :peace:

I suggest asking some tips about a country here like a month before you go there. So you know the good and the bad stuff. And a lot of Europeans speak English so thats not a big problem. Maybe keep something like a video/photo journal and ask if TAC can host it or so. Would be nice.

 

And good luck I hope you have a great time. And mabye drop by some ppl if you are in the region.

If you come in Belgium, first drink the 100 differents beers for to have the 100 differents taste!

Egidio.

go visit the philippines its awesome pretty much everyone there is cool and polite. and the culture there is awesome. ok mabye im just biased but eh.

If you come in Belgium, first drink the 100 differents beers for to have the 100 differents taste!

 

Egidio.

French have 1000 differnt kinds of cheese, but still - dont go THERE!!!!!

only 100 beers? i tought it where 440?

Not from what I hear. I work with a guy who's wife is from the Phillipines. Gangs, Terrorists, not much organization to the society. It's like the wild west. Whatever goes, goes.

 

It is probably just where you are.